Loom with shuttle boxes which shift to detect weft



Dec. 29, 1936. R. G. TURNER ,065,7

' LOOM WITH SHUTTLE BOXES WHICH SHIFT TO DETECT WEFT Filed June 11, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 29, 1936. R. G, TURNER ,7

LOOM WITH SHUTTLE BOXES WHICH SHIFT T0 DETECT WE FT Filed June 11, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 D 29, 19 R. G. TURNER- LOOM WITH SHUTTLE BOXES WHICH SHIFT TO DETECT WEF'T 4 Sheeg's-Sheet 3 Filed June 11, 1954 Dec.29,1936. T RNER 2,065,770

LOOM WITH SHUTTLE BOXES WHICH SHIFT TO DETECT WEFT Filed June 11, 1934 I 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ncT/va r'mi@ flax Mom/v Patented Dec. 29, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LOOM WITH SHUTTLE BOXES WHICH SHIFT TO DETEC'I WEFT Application June 11, 1934, Serial No. 729,987

11 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in weft replenishing looms more particularly shuttle changing looms of the mutlicolor type and it is the general object of the invention to manipulate the shifting boxes so that they will cooperate with weft detectors secured to the lay.

In my co-pending application Serial No. 722,- 549, I show a lay having secured thereto over and under electric detectors between which the shuttle boxes shift, the parts being so related that when the boxes are up to render the bottom shuttle active the top detector contacts withthe idle top shuttle, and when the boxes are down to render the top shuttle active the lower shuttle contacts with the idle bottom detector. Ihe detectors are thereby rendered active by the shifting of the boxes, but as shown in that application a shuttle which is to remain active for a period of several successive picks will not be in detecting position during the period of its activity and it must therefore carry a relatively large bunch of reserve yarn sufficient to Weave a stripe plus the customary reserve.

It is an important object of my present invention to provide means for producing an auxiliary shifting of the boxes to effect detection,

thereby producin a relative motion between the shuttle and electric feeler in the direction of shift of the boxes. This relative motion occurs l between boxing and picking of the active shuttle and after the detection the shuttle is in picking position. In other words, during a succession of picks from the same shuttle the boxes will shift when the lay is in the forward part of its stroke to present the active shuttle to its detector and then return the shuttle to picking position. In this way it is possible to detect the active shuttle on every alternate pick of its repeat by means of detectors which are fastened to the lay.

In addition to this auxiliary movement of the boxes there will be the customary shiftings to render one or the other of the shuttles active and these normal shiftings will be controlled by a pattern surface or the like which will also control the color selection of the magazine in such a way that the magazine is held in readiness to replenish the active shuttle. For this reason an indication which is given by the auxiliary or detecting movements of the boxes dur- 50 ing a period of action of any one shuttle will call the magazine into action to furnish a fresh supply of weft corresponding to the active depleted shuttle without the use of indication storing mechanism such as that ordinarily found in 55 multicolor weft replenishing looms.

Since the boxes can be in either of two positions to render the upper or lower box active it will be necessary to move the boxes either up or down on their detecting auxiliary shiftings,

depending upon which shuttle is active, and it is a further object of my invention to provide mechanism which will raise the boxes when the top box is active to effect detection and to lower them when the bottom shuttle is active for the purpose of effecting detection. 10

It is a further object of my invention to accomplish the foregoing advantages by the use of a primary box motion or actuator to give the boxes their normal shifting movements together with a secondary actuator or box motion which gives an additional shifting motion to the boxes to move the active box toward the detector.

With these and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein a convenient embodiment of my invention is set forth,

Fig. l is a front elevation of a loom made 210- cording to my present invention,

Fig. 2 is an end elevation in the direction of arrow 2, Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic perspective view showing certain of the operating parts, 0

Fig. 4 is a detail vertical section through a switch shown in Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view showing the relation of the switch cam together with the box control,

Figs. 6 and 7 are diagrammatic views showing the box lifter chain control in different positions,

Fig. 8 is a horizontal section on line 8-8, Fig.

5, and.

Fig. 9 is a detail side elevation in the direction of arrow 9, Fig. 1,

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, I show a. loom frame H] with a lay H having picker sticks R2 at each end and movable about bottom bearings it by means of connectors l4 driven 5 from the top shaft I5.

The right hand end of the loom as shown in Fig. 1 is provided with a magazine M which as suggested in Fig. 2 is arranged to store two different kinds of reserve shuttles. It is not thought necessary to enter into a detailed description of the magazine inasmuch as it may be made and operated as shown in my co-pending applications Serial Nos. 460,746 and 722,549. When either of the pull-down rods I! or E8, see

Fig. 2, is depressed a reserve shuttle will be delivered from one or the other of the stacks of the magazine. This downward movement of the rods can be accomplished by an actuator lever is normally at rest but engaging with a regularly moving actuator lever 20, having a latch 2| forthepurpose. The latch can be controlled electromagnetically through a solenoid 22 and the choice of color or selection may be had through a lever 23 controlled through a flexible connection-24 movable in timed relation with the box motion at the opposite end of the loom. Rocking of lever 23 will place one or the other of the rods I! or 18 in operative relation with the actuator lever l9. 1Q

The box lifter rod 25 at the magazine end of the loom may be operatively related to the lever l9 by the well-known mechanism and upward movement of this rod accompanies transfer of a. shuttle from either of the stacks of reserve shuttles. It is thought sufficient for present purposes to. state that whenever the solenoid is energized there will be a shuttle change, and that the kind of shuttle delivered by the magazine depends upon the position of lever 23 which in turn is controlled by the pattern mechanism for determining which of the two weaving shuttles shall be active.

At the left hand side of the loom as shown in Fig. 1, I provide the well-known Knowles head K having upper and lower cylinder gears 30 and 3| which may operate to raise and lower the harness frames .32 in well-known manner. As set. forth more particularly herein this head is adapted for a loomhaving two shifting shuttle boxes and the box control is effective through a box vibrator lever '33 having a vibrator gear 34 which meshes with one or the other of thecylinder gears '30 or 3i. The gear is attached to a connector 35 the right end of whichas shown in Fig. l is connected to a box lever 36 pivoted at 31 to the loom frame. The lower end of the box lever is attached to chain 38 trained around a sheave 39 and extending downwardly around a lower sheave 40. The chain then extends upwardly and is trained over a sheave 4| and down to have attachment with a sleeve 42. The latter can slide through the rocker foot 43 of the loom and is of tubular form so as to receive box lifter rod 44. The latter supports upper and lower shifting shuttle boxes 45 and 46, respectively, and a spring' ll interposed between the sleeve 42 and the shifting boxes causes the latter to rise and fall with the sleeve. Other parts associated with theboxes are shown in Fig. 5, but form no part of my present invention. The vibrator'and associated parts in the head may be considered a primary box motion or actuator.

The pattern chain 50 may have high and low pattern balls 5| and 52, respectively, which are operatively related to the vibrator lever 33 to raise or lower the latter so that the vibrator gear can be related either to the top or bottom cylinder gear. This form of box motion is well-known and of itself forms no part of my present invention. As the loom runs the pattern chain is fed ahead a bar for each pick of the loom and either a high or a low ball will appear under the vibrator lever 33. The sequence of box movements is determined by the pattern chain and this sequence is in no way limited by my present invention.

The lay end 55 of that part of the lay adjacent the Knowles head has an upper horn 56 on which is mounted an electric feeler 51 having oppositely charged electrodes 58 and 59, respectively. The feeler 51 is secured to the lay and has no movement relative to the lay except the slight sliding movement of the prongs 58 and 59. In similar manner a lower horn 59 affords support for a detector 6! having prongs 62 and 63, respectively, corresponding to the similar prongs of the first described feeler. This lower feeler is also secured to the lay although the prongs are capable of a slight sliding movement. The detectorsthemselves form no part of my present invention and may be as set forth in patent to Payne No. 1,924,197.

As shown more particularly in Fig. 3 these detectors are connected to the solenoid and also to a pattern control switch so that but one feeler at a time is capable energizing the solenoid. The switch which is controlled by the pattern mechanism and shown more particularly in Fig. a comprises upper contacts 65 and 65, respectively, and lower contacts 5'! and 68, respectively, between which moves. a contact bar 69. The latter is carried by a rod I0 slidable through insulating bearings H in a housing 12 secured to the loom frame and is operatively connected to an upwardly extending rod 13 attached to a lever Hi. he latter is pivoted to a fixed stud l5 and operatively connected as shown particularly in Fig. 3 by a short rod '16 to the vibrator lever 33. A spring 7'! in the housing tends to lower the bar against the bottom contacts, while upward movement of the vibrator lever will tend to move said bar against the upper contacts.

Assuming that the bar 69 is in raised position due to the fact that vibrator lever 33is lifted by a high ball 5|, current will flow in the following circuit: transformer T, wire 80, grounded to the loom frame as at 8!, wire 82, detector 5|, assuming the prongs thereof are connected due to weft exhaustion, wire 83, top contact 65, bar 69, top contact 66, wire 84, wire 85, solenoid 22, wire 86 back to the transformer. Current flowing in this circuit will energize the electromagnet whenever the prongs of the lower feeler are electrically connected. Should the vibrator 1ever be down, however, so that the boxes will be down and top box 45 rendered active with respect to the lay, current will flow through the following circuit: transformer T, Wire 80, ground 18!, wire 82, wire 81,.detector 5'5, assuming its prongs are electrically connected, wire 88, bottom contact 51, bar 62, which is now down, contact 68, wire 89, wire 85, solenoid 22, and wire 86 back to the transformer. By this: circuit the upper detector is able to energize the solenoid when the boxes are down. These circuits contain the essential elements for the control of the loom, but if desired they may include a shipper handle control switch and also a fuse for the transformer not shown herein but set forth in my co-pending application Serial No. 722,549.

The shifting of the shuttle boxes by the chain occurs after vertical motion of the vibrator lever, but it is to be understood that if the vibrator lever is up the shifting boxes will also be up so that the lower box 46 will be active and the circuit of the lower detector will be closed at the switch S, and similarly, when the vibrator is down the boxes will be down so top shuttle box 45 will be active and the circuit for the upper feeler'will be closed through the switch S. It is further .to be understood that during a. pe-

riod of activity for a shuttle in the top box 45 the upper detector 51 will be capable of controlling the loom and the lower detector will be out of control because of the position of switch S, and similarly during continued operation of the shuttle corresponding to the lower box 46 the lower detector 6| will be in control of the loom and the upper detector will be disabled by switch S.

The matter thus far described may be similar to matter already known or to subject matter of the co-pending applications previously identified. The present invention relates more particularly to means for presenting an active weft supply to the detector corresponding thereto when the supply is at the shifting shuttle box end of the loom. The invention contemplates means for giving the shuttle boxes a detecting shift when the active shuttle arrives at the shifting boxes and provision ismade for accomplishing this result without interferring with the usual box shifting which accompanies a change in the color of weft being woven.

In carrying my invention into effect I train the flexible connector or chain 38 around upper and lower sheaves and 9I which are rotatably mounted on a lever 92 secured to a shaft 93 rotatable in a bearingstand 94 secured to the loom. An arm 95 fast on the shaft is connected by a rod 96 to a cam lever 91. The latter is pivoted to the loom and may carry at its rear end a cam follower 98. The latter lies normally in a groove 99 of a cam I00 keyed to the bottom shaft IOI to have a complete rotation once in two picks of the loom.

The cam is of the switch type and includes in its construction a switch I02 pivoted as at I03 to the cam and having a point I04. One side of the point has a curved surface I05 while the other side has a curved surface I06. When the switch is in the position shown in Fig. 5 the inner path I0! is continuous with dwell 99 and therefore defines the path of movement for the roll 98, but when the switch is thrown to the other position the outer path I00 defined in part by surface I06 is continuous with the cam dwell 99.

The position of the switch is determined by the pattern mechanism and as shown herein I provide a switch lever H0 pivoted at III to the loom and having a connector H2 attached to the rod '13 which moves with the vibrator lever. Lever H0 has a surface H5 which is concentric with the shaft I M when rod H2 is raised. The switch I02 is pinned or otherwise secured to the axis I03 and the latter extends through the web of the cam to have adjustably secured thereto an arm H6 to which is connected a tension spring II'I attached at one end to the cam and acting to hold the switch normally in the full line position shown in Fig. 5, or in position to cause follower 98 to travel along the inner path.

The lower end II8 of arm H6 is adapted to slide along the surface H5 and when rod H2 is raised the surface H5 is placed to cause end I I8 to throw the switch so that slot I08 connects with the dwell 99.

When a given box is to remain in active position for several picks the box lever will be at rest to maintain the selected box active. Under such conditions when the lay is in the backward part of its stroke, and also when the active shuttle is on the end of the loom opposite the drop boxes, the cam follower 98 will be in the dwell 99 and cam' I 00 will rotate in the direction of arrow a, Fig. 5. The parts are so timed that the active shuttle will reach the drop box end of the loom at about the time that switchI02 reaches the follower, and lever 91 will be rocked either up or down, depending upon the setting of the switch.

The normal position of the lever 98 will be to produce an intermediate deflection in the chain 38 as the latter passes around sheaves 90 and 9|. If the boxes are up as shown in Fig. 6 so as to render the lower box active, the direction of throwof the switch I02 will be to cause a lift in rod 96 as the follower 98 enters slot I08 and the chain will assume a more nearly straight position, as shown in Fig. 5, to allow the boxes to drop so that the shuttle of the lower box will coact with the lower electricv feeler. This action takes, place while the main box motion of the loom retains a given setting. As the cam I00 continues to rotate the follower 98 will return to the dwell 99 which is intermediate bottom grooves I 01 and I08 and the lever 92 will therefore be restored to normal position in time to return the lower box toactive position prior to picking.

In a similar manner, if the upper box be active the switch I02 will be thrown so that the follower 98 will pass along groove I01 to depress rod 98 and produce a greater bend in the chain 38, thereby shortening the same so far as its effective length between the boxes and box lever is concerned to cause an upward movement of the top box to the dotted line position indicated in Fig. 5 to effect detection by the top feeler.

It will be seen that the auxiliary or detecting shift of the boxestakes place without regard to the main box motion of the loom and that the rocking of lever 92 can take place in either of two directions, depending upon the position the main box motion gives to the boxes. Inasmuch as the chain 38 passes through the chain shortening device identified with lever 92 it will be seen that the boxes can be rendered active at will without interference on the part of the de tecting shift. The rod H2 is connected as shown in Fig. 3 to move with the vibrator lever, and the switch I02 will therefore be set prior to the normal time for a box shift and before it reaches the follower 98.

On those beats of the loom where a normal box shift is to occur in addition to the auxiliary detecting shift, the box will move in response to two simultaneous controls which, however, will complete their effect on the boxes prior to shifting and a shuttle which is to be called back to action after a period of idleness will be placed in picking position at the proper time, which occurs approximately when the lay is half way between its front and back center positions.

As already stated the detector corresponding to the active shuttle will be alive so that as the active shuttle is moved toward and from the detector corresponding to it an indication of weft exhaustion can be given, after which the! circuits already traced in connection with Fig. 4. will operate to cause a change in loom operation. When there is to be a box shift for the purpose of changing color the switch S will be thrown prior to the detecting shift for the boxes, inasmuch as this switch and the rod I I2 are both controlled by rod I3. Should the previously active shuttle which is about to be rendered idle be exhausted therefore it will approach a disconnected detector and will be incapable of giving detection during the: greater part of the period of its inactivity. When such a shuttle is about to return to action, however, its feeler will be rendered alive and an indication will be given immediately prior to the first pick of such a shuttle. V

From the foregoing it will be seenthat I have provided a loom wherein the. detectors are mounted on the lay and theboxes are given a shift every alternate beat of the loom when the active shuttle is at the drop box end of the loom for the purpose of detecting the condition of weft in the active shuttle. It will further be seen that a normal box shift for the purpose of changing the active shuttle cantake place concurrently with the operation of the devicewhich produces a detecting shift and that the shuttle destined to become active will be in picking position in time for picking; These results are accomplished by the use of a box chain slackener and tightener which is interposed in the path of the chain and the latter can respond both to the normal box shift and also to the detecting shift movements of the chain slackener and tightener. The use of such a device permits the loom to run one shuttle active for a number of picks and detect the condition of its weft every alternate pick in a manner similar to the usual multicolor weft detecting'loom. Inasmuchas the solenoid 22 is rendered active to control the loom immediately prior to the return of a depleted active shuttle from the box to the magazine side of the loom there is no necessity for delaying the indication such as is cus'tomaryin automatic color looms. f 7

' Having thus described my invention it will be seen that'changes and modifications may bemade therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention'a'nd I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, but what I 'claim'is: V

1. In a loom, a lay, shifting shuttle boxes at one end of the lay, a weft detector above the boxes and secured to the lay to cooperate with the shuttle in the upper box when the boxes are raised, a second detector secured to the lay below the boxes to cooperate with the lower shuttle whenthe boxes are lowered, each shuttle box capable of rendering the corresponding shuttle active during a period of successive picks, and means operative between the boxing and subsequent pick of an active shuttle during the period of picks in which the shuttle is active to move the shuttle box toward and from the detector corresponding to the active shuttle.

2. In a loom, a'lay, a pair of weft detectors secured to the lay, a pair of shifting shuttle boxes movablerelatively to the lay'between said detectors, one shuttle box to co'actwith one detector and the other shuttle box to coact with the other detector, each shuttle boxcapable of remaining in action to render the corresponding shuttle active for a plurality of picks, and means operative when the active shuttle is in its'shuttle box to shift the latter to present the active shuttle to the corresponding detector and return the same to active position between boxing and the following picking of the active shuttle.

3. In a loom having a lay, anelectrical weft detector secured to the lay, shifting shuttle boxes movable with respect to the lay toward and from the detector, said boxes to assume a plurality of positions in each of which one box is active with respect to picking, and'two means for moving the boxes, one of saidmeans operative to move the boxes toward and from the detector during a forward'movement of the lay, and the other means to move said boxes to determine which one shall be in active picking position. 7

4. In a loom having a lay, a pair of spaced electric weft detectors secured to the lay, a pair of shifting shuttle boxes movable between the detectors, each box capable of being in picking position relatively to the lay, aprimary box, motion to render either shuttle box active with respect to picking, and a secondary box motionto move the box in active position toward the detector corresponding thereto and return said box to picking position prior to the time of picking for the purpose of weft detection.

In a loom having a laygspaced electric weft detectors secured to-the lay, a pair of shifting shuttle boxes movable relatively to the lay and between thedetectors, one detector to coact with the upper and the, other detector to coact with the lower shuttle box, a primary box motion to render either box active with respect to picking, and a secondary box motion to move the box which is placed in picking position by the primary box motion toward and from the corresponding detector between the time of boxing and the following picking of the shuttle in the box in active position.

6. In a loom having a lay, a pair of spaced electric weft detectors secured to the lay, shifting shuttle boxes .movable'relatively to the lay and between the detectors, the upper box to coact with the upper detector and the lower box to coact with the lower detector, two box motions to control the movements of the shifting boxes, said box motions jointly controlling the shifting boxes and I one of them effective to determine which box shall be in active position at the time of picking, and the other box motion moving the active shuttle box toward the. corresponding detector and back to picking position prior 'to picking toleffect weft detection.

7. In a loom having a lay, shifting shuttle boxes having cells each capable of being in active position relatively to the lay at the time of picking, an electro-magnetic loom controlling device, a pair of electric detectors secured to the lay, one above and the other below the shifting boxes, a circuit for each detector including the electromagnetic device, means to determine which cell shall be in picking position at the time of picking, means by which the first named means renders the detector corresponding to the shuttle box in active picking position capable of controlling the electro-magnetic device, and an auxiliary box motion to move the box in active position toward thecorresponding detector and return said shuttle box to active position.

8. In a loom having a lay, a pair of shifting shuttle boxes, a pair of electric detectors secured to the lay, one above and the other below the shifting boxes, each detector to coact with the shuttle box adjacent thereto, an elec'tro-magnetic device to control the loom, a pair of circuits each containing one of the electric detectors and the electro-magnetic device, a primary box motion to determine which shuttle box shall be in active picking position at the time of picking, means operated by the primary box motion to render operative to control the electro-magnetic device the circuit of the detector corresponding to the shuttle box in active position, the detector circuit of. the box in non-active position being incapable of controlling the electro-magnetic device, and an auxiliary box motion to move the actively positioned shuttle box toward the corresponding detector and return the same to active position between the boxing of the shuttle in the active box and the immediately following picking of said shuttle.

9. In a loom having a lay, a pair of spaced electric detectors secured to the lay, a pair of shifting shuttle boxes movable relatively to the lay and between the detectors, each detector to coact With the shuttle box adjacent thereto, a primary box motion to maintain either box active for a period exceeding two picks, an electromagnetic loom controlling device, a pair of circuits, one for each detector and both circuits including the electro-magnetic device, means by which the primary box motion renders operative to control the electro-magnetic device the ciredit of the detector corresponding to the shuttle in active position during all except the last pick of the period of action of any one shuttle, and an auxiliary box motion operative on all except the last pick of a period comprising a plurality of picks to move the active shuttle box toward the corresponding detector and return the same to picking position prior to picking.

10. In a loom, a lay, shifting shuttle boxes, any one of which can be rendered active for picking with respect to the lay, a main shuttle box motion, a control chain between the box motion and the shifting shuttle boxes by which the box motion determines which shuttle box shall be active for picking, and an auxiliary box motion coacting with the chain to vary the effective length of the latter with respect to the box motion and the shuttle boxes to give the latter a movement additional to the movement imparted by the box motion.

11. In a loom having a lay, a pair of spaced weft detectors secured to the lay, a pair of shifting shuttle boxes movable with respect to the lay in directions toward and from the detectors, one of the detectors corresponding to one of the shuttle boxes and the other detector corresponding to the other shuttle box, a primary box motion to shift the boxes and render either of the shuttle boxes active with respect to the lay at the time of picking, and a secondary box motion operative prior to picking to move either of the shuttle boxes when active toward and from the corresponding detector for the purpose of weft detection, said secondary box motion effective to give the box in active position a detecting movement with respect to its detector regardless of which shuttle box is active.

RICHARD G. TURNER. 

